Foreign Relations of the United States, 1961–1963, Volume VIII, National Security Policy

26. Record of Actions Taken at the 478th Meeting of the National Security Council⁰

Washington, April 22, 1961.

[Here follow a paragraph listing the participants at the meeting and Action No. 2406, “U.S. Policy Toward Cuba.”]

2407. Strengthening the Basic U.S. Posture Toward the Communist World

a. Discussed possible changes in the level of effort of the United States in the fields of military activity, foreign policy, civil defense, and para-military effort. The President announced his prospective appointment of General Maxwell Taylor to advise him with respect to ways and means of improving U.S. efforts in para-military, guerrilla and counter-guerrilla activities, in the light of recent experiences. It was agreed that the Department of Defense would review its military budget, and that the study of the civil defense posture of the United States should be expedited by the Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs, in consultation with the Department of Defense and the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization.

b. Noted the President’s request to the Department of Defense for a prompt report to him on military planning for a possible crisis over Berlin.

c. Discussed the possibility of a large Contingency Freedom Fund to be administered under the direct supervision of the President. The President requested a preliminary report on the possible uses of such a fund for consideration at the next meeting of the NSC, and asked that this report be prepared by the Department of State in consultation with the Departments of the Treasury and Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency.¹

[Here follow Actions No. 2408, “The Geneva Test Ban Negotiations,” and No. 2409, “Review of U.S. Space Program.”]

0. Source: Department of State, S/S-NSC (Miscellaneous) Files: Lot 66 D 95, Records of Action by the National Security Council. Top Secret. The actions were approved by the President on April 24.
1. Typed marginal notes indicate that action memoranda were sent to the Department of Defense and OCDM (based on Action No. 2407-a), Defense (Action No. 2407-b), and State, Treasury, Defense, and CIA (Action No. 2407-c). These memoranda have not been further identified.